Although eight decades have passed since Adolf Hitler’s death, interest in the Nazi period remains strong. Ian Buruma’s book, Stay Alive: Berlin, 1939-1945, presents a fresh perspective on life under Nazi rule. Drawing from his father’s experiences as a forced laborer in Berlin, Buruma explores the wartime city through diaries, memoirs, and interviews, capturing the transition from Germany’s early victories to its downfall under Soviet assault.
Buruma delves into the scarcity of personal accounts left by ordinary Germans, who often kept quiet in an effort to survive. This scarcity shifts the narrative to more dynamic figures, adding depth to the usual portrayal of Nazi Germany.
The book introduces readers to diverse personalities: Coco Schumann, a Jewish guitarist defying Nazi bans on jazz; Lilo, a teenager who evolves from admiring Nazi ideals to respecting those who opposed Hitler; Helmuth von Moltke, an officer executed for resisting the Nazis; and Erich Alenfeld, a Jewish convert to Christianity who sought to serve Germany.
Among the well-known figures is Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister, whose influence pervaded daily life in Berlin through censorship, entertainment, and edicts like the mandate for Jews to wear the yellow star.
Buruma’s narrative is rich with intriguing anecdotes, such as a family teaching their parrot to mimic “Heil, Hitler” for safety, filmmakers pretending to work to avoid conscription, and Jewish properties in Grunewald transitioning from Nazi to Russian oligarch ownership. Those evading Nazis, known as “U-boats,” often hid in Berlin’s underbelly, including brothels.
With a nuanced understanding of past atrocities, Buruma highlights two unsettling truths pertinent today: the pervasive corruption in a flawed system and the ease of passive compliance. He quotes von Moltke on desensitization to suffering, reflecting on how many, including his father, focused on daily life over confronting injustice.
Ruth Andreas-Friedrich emerges as a potential hero in the book. Unlike many, she actively resisted the Nazi regime, forming the Uncle Emil group with her partner Leo Borchard to aid Jews and insurgents. Her courage is matched by her understanding of those who, out of fear, did not resist, showing a rare blend of integrity and empathy.
